NEALE Cooper is the manager guilty of throwing the towel in.

Hartlepool United's animated boss was sent to the stands on Saturday, attracting the ire of referee Lee Mason.

So he was forced to look on from afar as Adam Boyd clinched away win number eight to propel his side back into the play-off zone.

Managers rant and rave - Cooper does - managers swear and curse - Cooper does - but how many have been found guilty and disciplined after chucking a towel away?

That was the extent of Cooper's crime as referee Mason and his fourth official Gary Sutton blundered at Blundell Park by taking offence to the manager's show of petulance.

In incessant rain and a swirling wind, Cooper was using the white towel to dry his bald pate at regular intervals.

When Mason failed to give Pool a free-kick after Joel Porter was tripped, Cooper was angry. So angry in fact he threw in the towel. Twice. Once down the line, once into the dug out.

Thankfully Cooper's reaction to his stint in the stand wasn't as serious as that from Messrs Mason and comedy sidekick Sutton.

"These things happen,'' said Cooper. "I went to see him after the game to see if I could get my towel back.

"I threw it on the floor because I was frustrated at the decision. It wasn't for swearing or anything like that - I asked him after the game.

"It was for throwing the towel in - that's what the ref said!"

Cooper's effervescent touchline antics are part of the attraction of watching Pool this season. Every ball, every incident and kick gets a reaction. He rants and raves at his players, has banter with the fans and reacts to the opposing dug outs.

That's why the Pool fans have taken to him. In terms of personality and character, he's a million miles away from the last incumbent.

Oh, and he's not a bad manager either because his team are back up to sixth in the table and have won more times and scored more goals away from home than anyone else in this division.

Grimsby must have felt like chucking in the towel and walking off the Victoria Park pitch back in September when Pool thumped eight goals past the mauled Mariners.

Pool have lost twice to QPR this season, going down 8-2 over two games. Grimsby can better that - they've lost 10-1 on aggregate to Cooper's side.

It's a long time since Adam Boyd had a goal in a Hartlepool United shirt to celebrate. March 1, 2003 and a penalty at Feethams was his last.

And that's far too long for a player of Boyd's talent and ability. Sent to Boston on loan this season, it looked like his Pool days were numbered - chucking the towel in and signing for his loan club, if you like.

But he's back and, after two impressive displays, perhaps the real Adam Boyd will now stand up.

Time to put the potential to one side and turn it into something real.

First up and he took Joel Porter's pass in the penalty area, took two touches and took the chance to smash the ball in via the hands of keeper Alan Fettis.

Then three minutes from time, substitute Steven Istead crossed low from the right and Boyd nipped in at the near post to make it two.

Cooper said: "When we arrived at the ground we knew it was going to be so difficult because of the conditions. We knew it was going to be a battle and the boys were immense. We were a little bit weak down our right hand side in the first-half, but we were much better in the second-half.

"Both Westy (Chris Westwood) and Eifion (Williams) have played there before, but they stuck in and it came good.

"We tried to get balls in behind them in the first-half to put them under pressure and we defended well in both halfs.

"That was a really hard game, it was a massive result. It was all about spirit and character.

"To go to a team we have beaten 8-1 already - I'm sure they will have brought it up during their teamtalk - meant we had to be more organised and determined and I thought we were.''

Beaten boss Nicky Law moaned: "All Hartlepool did was turn us round and got the ball forward. Mark Tinkler won everything in the middle of the park, and Ritchie Humphreys won everything too.

"They are not a good footballing side, they are just big strong lads who work hard for each other.''

Big strong lads? Adam Boyd and Joel Porter? Steven Istead? Not a good footballing side? Hardly.

Just like their last away game at Colchester two weeks previous, it wasn't pretty, but who is complaining?

In their last eight away games, Pool have taken 17 points, five wins, two draws and a single defeat. A decent record for "not a good footballing side" and how Law must wish one day to manage such an average team.

It's all to play for and Pool have nine games left to plough on and create history; and there's no way anyone will be chucking in the towel before Saturday, May 8.

* Pool wore black armbands on Saturday, as a tribute to Frankie Baggs, a club stalwart and former commercial manager who died on Friday, following a long illness.

Result: Grimsby Town 0 Hartlepool United 2.

Read more about Hartlepool here.